Here's a cut down version of my study on the rapture:
Proverbs 2:21-22,
"21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it."
Proverbs 10:29-30,
"29The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth."
Psalms 37:29,
"29The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever."
John 17:15,
"15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."
The above verses indicate that the wicked, not the righteous, shall be taken away or removed from earth. Following is a second witness to that fact:
Matthew 13:38-43,
"38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
A very popular pro-rapture passage is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,
"16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Please note that "the dead in Christ shall rise first" when Christ returns at the sound of the "trump of God." Lets address the exact timing when the "dead shall rise" as well as the timing of this "trump of God."
John 6:40,
"40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:44,
"44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:54,
"54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Note: the dead do not rise until "the last day" at the sound of the trump of God. Now what is the "trump of God?" The 7 trumps are plainly listed in Revelation in chronological order:
Revelation 8:2, "2And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets."
Revelation 8:7, "7The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, ..."
Revelation 8:8, "8And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;"
Revelation 8:10, " 10And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp ..."
Revelation 8:12, " 12And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, ..."
Revelation 9:1, "1And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit."
Revelation 9:13, "13And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,"
Revelation 11:15, "15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."
1 Corinthians 15:52 clearly tells us when the dead shall be raised in relation to the trumps of God:
1 Corinthians 15:52,
"52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
So we know that the dead shall be raised on the last day at the sound of the last trump. We know that Jesus Christ doesn't return until after the tribulation of those days at "the last day."
It's the last (7th) and final trump of God that announces Christ's triumphant return. The first 6 trumps announce various phases of tribulation. This is witnessed by the following passage:
Matthew 24:29-31,
"29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Christ clearly returns "after the tribulation of those days."
The Kingdom of God will be right here on earth:
Revelation 21:10,
"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,"
Matthew 6:10, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Psalms 37:29,
"29The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever."
